The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement has scheduled a series of statewide half-day, grant-writing workshops to help applicants secure $3.2 million in 2006 funds, available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions assisting Communities Grant Program. The workshops will be especially useful for community-based organizations, homestead associations and Native Hawaiian charter schools. CNHA coordinates grant training workshops and information on funding opportunities available to Native communities in various areas, including housing, cultural preservation, language, preservation and social and economic development. Past NHIAC projects have included renovation of the Kea'au Youth Business Center on the Big Island and creation of the Kokea Training Center in Kalihi. The workshops are planned tomorrow at the Kaua'i Beach Hotel and Resort; Wednesday at Maui Beach Hotel; April 24, King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel, and April 25, at the 'Ilikai Hotel. Information/times: 521-5011, (800) 709-2642, or www.hawaiian council.org.

"HOW TO PROTECT-COMMERCIALIZE YOUR INVENTIONS, WORKS OF ART AND WEBSITES," an intellectual property training workshop, sponsored by the Small Business Development Center, will be held 8:30 a.m.-noon, Thursday, at 1041 Nu'uanu Ave. Fee; free consultant offered after class. Info: Miho, 523-6118.

Volunteers from the Hawai'i State Bar Association's Business Section will be available to answer business-related questions and offer information, at an upcoming series of free business information sessions. The sessions, sponsored by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Business Action Center, are scheduled 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday, May 4 and May 11, at the center, 1130 N. Nimitz Highway, Suite 220. Information: 586-2545.

Jessica Rich, executive director of the Visitor's Aloha Society of Hawai'i, which assists tourists who have become victims of crime, will be luncheon speaker at a meeting of the EXCHANGE CLUB OF DOWNTOWN HONOLULU, noon-1:30 p.m. Thursday at a local country club. Information/location: Ed Kemper, 524-0330, #2.

SATURDAY

The Small Business Development Center and Minority Business Development Center at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa Computer Labs will offer a free "NAVIGATING CONTRACTING-PROCUREMENT WEBSITES," workshop, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. Info: 523-6118.

UPCOMING

The American Marketing Associa-tion, Hawai'i chapter, presents "E-COMMERCE = MC2 (Marketing to Customers, Squared)," a luncheon and panel discussion featuring three Hawai'i business leaders who are maximizing the Internet in their marketing plans. The event features Brandt Farias, executive vice president of marketing communications, First Hawaiian Bank; Rick Peterson, vice president of e-commerce, Hawaiian Airlines; and Tiffany Tanaka, owner of wesellthings4u.com. The event is scheduled 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. April 27 at the Hale Koa Hotel, DeRussy Hall, second floor. Fee; non-members, student fees available. Reservations deadline: Friday: 621-2482.

Business meetings of general interest are listed in the "Coming Events" column each Monday. Submit notices at least two weeks in advance: Business Events, Business Section, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; fax to 525-6763; or e-mail dbutts@honoluluadvertiser.com. (For e-mailed releases, please include information in the body of the message, not in an attachment.)